Everyone deserves a positive future and a chance to turn their lives around. One aspect of ensuring a brighter future for people facing challenges is keeping them fed. Hunger continues to challenge individuals and families in the United Kingdom as they struggle to stretch their incomes to cover rising costs for food and utilities. Food banks in the U.K. distributed 3 million food packages from April 2022 to March 2023, up 37% from the same period of the prior year. The St. Giles Trust Pantry was created to provide immediate food support and a six-month path from poverty. Participants pay £3.50 per week ($4.33) and receive access to £30 worth of food ($37.14). St. Giles Trust, which operates the Pantry was created as a social justice charity to support people who may have experienced poverty, abuse, addiction, mental health or other issues, giving them the support they need to secure a positive future. More than 65% of the staff at St. Giles Trust have overcome similar circumstances, with 40% having had direct experience with the criminal justice system.

Eshani Gheewala, Senior Corporate Partnerships Officer, St. Giles Trust

The St. Giles Trust Pantry is one aspect of an integrated program at St. Giles Trust that not only provides individuals with nutritious food, but also with support related to employment, finance, housing, mental health and more. St. Giles Trust believes that in providing food support, individuals will be able to focus on long-term goals rather than securing the next meal for themselves of their families. Food supplied to the Pantry has been deemed excess and would otherwise be headed for a landfill. Our clients depend on and appreciate our services. One client at the St. Giles Trust Camberwell Pantry said, "The St Giles Pantry has been a blessing. I'm able to cook and eat a balanced meal every day. Without this service I would have had to skip meals. I am truly grateful." Inspired by the good work of the St. Giles Trust and St. Giles Pantry, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) has organized volunteers to assist us in our efforts. Over the past year, IICF volunteers assisted at our Pantries in South and West London. IICF volunteers assisted our delivery drivers by loading up the vans and accompanying them to the sites to help unload the groceries and stock the shelves. This year, for IICF's annual Week of Giving in October, we will once again welcome IICF volunteers to our Pantry network. With IICF's valuable support, deliveries and restocking are faster and more efficient, allowing these healthy meals to get in front of those who need them. The volunteers enable our team to have more capacity to talk to and assist more clients. This Week of Giving, please join us to support individuals facing challenges in need of brighter futures. To learn more about us, please visit https://www.stgilestrust.org.uk/. Eshani Gheewala is senior corporate partnerships officer for St. Giles Trust.

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